


Hand in Hand

by BabyChocoboAlchemist



Series: The Zodiac Crownsguard [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Budding Love, Comfort, Friendship, Happy Zodiac Age Release Day, Ignis Protection Squad Forever, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-30 22:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11473356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyChocoboAlchemist/pseuds/BabyChocoboAlchemist
Summary: "I don't want to hurt you. Just let me be by your side tonight. I won't say a thing-you have my word and honor as a pirate of the skies." While rescuing Prompto from Dalmasca's Chancellor and Balthier's father, Ignis was gravely wounded-on the inside and outside. Unfortunately, he's hellbent on pushing everyone away, wanting them to look after only Prompto. However, Balthier's never been one to follow orders.(Requested by Nikkie, who read 'You're the Stars that Shine', and Happy Zodiac Age Release Day!)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for coming, and Happy Zodiac Age Day! This piece was written in honor of the updated Final Fantasy XII's release, and on behalf of a reader that requested a Balthier/Ignis piece. 
> 
> This was a challenging piece to write, considering I see Ignis and Balthier as two similar characters. At one point, I thought of them as brothers. They're only an inch apart when it comes to sass, and both are remarkably charismatic. I hope those similarities are used in a way you'll find enjoyable.
> 
> Lore snapshot: This adventure has Ignis and Balthier (formerly known as Ffamran) growing up in the same world. Instead of Ignis being charged with looking after Noctis, young Ffamran/Balthier was charged with looking after young Ignis. While Ffamran was born and bred to become a Judge, his father Cid caught wind of Ignis' innate gifts and knew he'd make an incredible Judge Magister, a supreme authority figure bearing incredible power. Cue Aladdin and Jasmine-esque relationship.
> 
> I imagine Balthier and Ignis having a relationship that slowly grows out of a powerful friendship and into its romantic stages. Childhood friends-turned-lovers. I hope that translates well into this piece.
> 
> Enjoy, Happy Zodiac Age Day, and thank you for reading!

_It was into a sea of triumph and defeat he walked, nestled among ancient tomes feeling no greater than a feather. It was never admitted out loud, but being surrounded by shelves that housed tales of the past always made him feel a hundred times smaller. Tales of warriors far greater than he served as constant reminders of the warrior he wouldn't ever be, of the expectations far too many had set for him-his father included. Shiva be damned, he would've given anything to cut himself free from that world's shackles. Free from the shackles of a legacy he never asked to carry. But on he pressed, eyes set on the path before him._

_He was in search of the one he had been asked to watch over at the beginning of his tale-a young man with shackles even greater than his. He had grown up alongside the young man he sought, but even as the present unfolded with Summer serenity, he still couldn't keep himself from feeling a thousand miles apart from his charge. Like the tomes that engulfed him, his charge was a stronghold of impenetrable strength and unrivaled intellect. A fragile but blindingly brilliant beacon of valor that commanded respect from the Espers. Strange, how such an incredible spirit had been abandoned by his family. The one tasked with the responsibility of keeping him safe found it impossible to choose the better path: was it better for him to have been abandoned, or should the heavens be held responsible for not doing a better job of keeping him with his family? While Cid's son enjoyed his charge's company, much better than he initially expected to, Ffamran couldn't help but wish the young man had remained in his birth world. Would've been much vastly superior to seeing someone else chained to a life burdened with regrets and responsibilities._

_Ah. Ffamran caught sight of the young man with his nose in a book-as usual. Sitting alone at one of the tables inside Arcadia's greatest library. Shafts of afternoon light were pouring in from the windows, bestowing a rich, luminous glow upon the young reader's shoulders. Awe spread across the face of Cid's son as he realized something; sitting at that table, Ignis looked very much like an Esper. One alive with the golden riches of Summer and Autumn. Best to approach him with great care and calm. "Hello," he waved at his charge. "How are your studies going?"_

_The look Ignis gave him was one that commanded reverence. While he despised the world he had been chained to, Ffamran took his father's lessons to heart-one of the greatest being 'respect the divine'. He may have been tethered to a world of responsibilities, but the young Bunansa wasn't seized by lunacy. His charge's divinity was as plain as day. Anyone could see it. Ignis looked at him as though he hadn't expected a falling feather to interrupt his reading, and it caused his mentor to take a few steps back._

_"Sorry-didn't mean to alarm you."_

_"It's quite all right," was the soft answer. Relief swept through Ffamran's heart in an instant. Ah. Ignis saw fit to speak to him. The gods hadn't been angered after all. The two of them shared a strong connection, but the small Bunansa always keep the other's divinity close to heart. It wasn't ever wise to anger those ruling from above._

_Ignis set down the book he had been reading-one of the many tomes that spoke of bygone Judge Magisters. It was one of the many books he had been using quite often as of late, being bred to become a Judge Magister himself. "They're going rather well, thank you."_

_Ffamran grimaced at the large azure blue book in his friend's hands. "You've been at them for a rather long time, now," he scowled. And it was the truth-Ignis must've memorized every nook and cranny of that book an hour ago, but was still intent on reading it. "Why don't we enjoy a bit of the afternoon together?" the Bunansa offered, his hopeful smile as bright as the midday sun. Ignis looked at him as though he had suggested treason against the Royal Family of Dalmasca, but Ffamran was insistent. "There's quite an amazing market being held downtown," he pressed on, green eyes ablaze with excitement. "I know how fond you are of those. We could take a peek and come right back! What do you think? It won't be long at all, I promise."_

_The young man sitting across from him eyed him with a world of curiosity, trying to make sense of what was going on inside a mortal's inner machinations. Cid's son was suspended in mid-air, waiting for the other's answer with bated breath, but then-_

_"All right. Not for too long, though."_

\---------------------------

Balthier sighed, rolling his eyes all the while. Ten years of friendship, and he _still_ hadn't figured out how to properly approach Ignis. 

Present circumstances heightened thet task's difficulty by a hundred levels. Evening calm had settled over their world, but it wouldn't ever be enough. They had all barely escaped hellflame's reach, having torn one of Balthier's two proteges out of the underworld's darkest void. Hell had swept through all of creation in what must've been a matter of seconds, pushing not only a certain Sky Pirate but his friends beyond their limits as well. Prompto, bearing ancient, powerful nethicite in his veins (as they found out), was abducted by Dalmasca's Chancellor and his father. Balthier's young gunner, the young man he came to treasure far more than any legendary jewel a Sky Pirate could grab, was revealed to be a soldier designed for destruction-with the most powerful and brutal substance embedded in his veins. It was all in the hope of creating the perfect army-a force that would cause the gods to cower in fear. 

Gathering all of their strength, wits and courage, Balthier and his friends tore the young man out of Hell's grasp-but none of them left unscathed. Sleep had taken a hold of the others, but rest wouldn't be found that night. Not only was his kind-hearted, beaming protege still in danger, broken and still bearing the nethicite, but the Bunansa's old charge emerged from the fires of battle with a heavy loss-the loss of his sight. Protecting the city from Leviathan proved to be a task of monstrous proportions-one that left the Magister-in-training without his eyes. Fate was already strained enough, with them frantically searching for the elixir that would rid their Prompto of the nethicite. 

The Sky Pirate stood at Ignis' door, heart pounding upon the drums of war, throat parched. Fran wasn't anywhere in sight, having been asked to take her leave by Balthier himself. 'They need you far more than I do', he told his old friend, patting her on the shoulder as a warm smile was given to her. 'Watch over the kitten in my place,' he added, referring to their sleeping Prompto. 'I'll be back in no time at all.'

Unfortunately, quite a lot of time must've passed while he stood in front of Ignis' door. They had all taken rooms inside Bhujerba's Inn for the night, in dire need of whatever rest they could grab ahold of. Basch was visiting the nearby market, purchasing much-needed supplies for his battered company. Fran, Consulman Gladiolus Amicitia, Vaan, Penelo and Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum of Dalmasca were watching over Prompto, Ignis demanding they all refrain from giving him a second glance. Prompto was the one that need the utmost care and attention-he could do without it. They all knew none of it was true, but they also knew that when it came to comforting the runaway Magister-in-Training, Balthier was the best man for the job. 'You're the only one that understands Ignis, after all,' Noctis teased, heartbroken but playful, warm, grateful. 'Why don't you take a shot at it? He'd only throw me out the window. May not be able to see any more, but I'm pretty sure he can still kick ass.'

With confidence from his friends close to heart, Balthier knocked on the door. The only barrier keeping him from the friend he had known for a lifetime. Nervousness was never allowed into the picture, but Ignis always made him feel perfectly comfortable with him. Comfortable with the person he had left behind, and was determined to forget. Panic shot through him once a faint 'go away, please' met his knocking from the other side, but the Bunansa was insistent.

"It's only me. No need to be afraid-I won't take up too much of your time."

Five minutes passed before the door was opened. Balthier stepped back once the world beyond the door was revealed, pierced by the loneliness that poured from it-and from its lone occupant. The state of his friend's face buried stakes deeper into his heart. Not out of disgust, but out of sadness. Tiny protege Prompto was receiving the love and care he needed, but Ignis had been left alone. Per his own orders, but he was alone nonetheless-when he needed just as much care and attention as his photo-taking, chocobo-loving friend. 

"Have you come to tell me about my little brother?" Ignis asked, hands on the door, ready to close it without a second's notice-not at all interested in entertaining the other's concern. Balthier bit his bottom lip with a small grunt, hating how he hadn't grown an inch from the person that sat in front of Ignis in the library that afternoon. "That's one of the reasons why I'm here," he confessed. Everything within him screamed for the opportunity to settle Ignis back into his room, but he was adamant about remaining right where he was. Adamant about shutting out anyone that wanted to comfort him. Best to tread lightly.

"Basch has gone to market for healing herbs and other forms of sustenance. Prompto's sleeping like a newborn chocobo, thank the fates, which gives us a little more room to breathe."

"Splendid. What a relief. Thank you."

It was at that moment a third dagger joined the others in piercing his spirit. Balthier was delighted to know Ignis couldn't see the expression on his face, for it was one no other soul would ever see: a union of anger, frustration and mirth. While it was amusing to not have Ignis see the look on his face, knowing how adamant the Scientia was about shutting him out, even after ten years of studying and dreaming and waiting together, cut through him like Ifrit's roar. No other was privy to the emotions flowing through Balthier's veins, but Ignis bore witness to the one he wanted to leave behind: the vulnerable, helpless young man that could do nothing but dream of a life outside of chains. Balthier knew that the moment he even _thought_ of asking after Ignis' well-being, the other would shut him out immediately-and that wasn't something he took pride in.

Was he guilty of the same crime? No. Prompto was proof of that. So was Noctis. If Balthier had shut himself off from the world, he wouldn't have adopted either of the young men as proteges. His spirit wouldn't be bleeding over what had happened to the freckled young man he came to love as a brother. And, as their recent run-in with Hell had beautifully proven, life was much too short and far too precious to take lightly. So, as risky as it was, it was time to take a shot. Time to keep Ignis from closing the door. "If you don't mind, I'll be going back to bed, now," the runaway Magister told him, moving to end the conversation-but Balthier shot out a hand. The hand latched onto Ignis' arm, his former charge gave him a look of alarm-

"Don't. Don't flee. Please. I mean no harm. I only wish to spend the rest of the night enjoying your company. Nothing more."

Shiva would've been in fear of the frost that laced Ignis' voice. "I'd rather you didn't."

Fran would've been thoroughly amused, seeing Balthier transformed into the tiny, awkward young man named Ffamran. "I won't utter a word," the Sky Pirate assured him, giving Ignis' arm a gentle squeeze. He gave off a laugh; a small, roguish, nervous sound. "You won't even know I'm around. I'll just be by your side."

The ice remained in place. "I'd be happier if you were with the others."

"I'd be happy if you trusted me. Just this once. Not asking too much, am I?"

Dangerous shot. "Who says I don't trust you?" Ignis snarled, ice growing even colder, wrenching his arm away. "What lunacy is this?"

Balthier knew that his next words had the power to end their conversation immediately. Ignis would probably see fit to slam the door in his face. But on he pressed, gentle, anxious, desperately fighting to remain calm but hurt. "It's _yours,_ if you don't mind my saying so," the pirate replied. "As much as it pains me to say it, I _am_ at a loss. I've been by your side for ten years. On the darkest of all nights, you treat me as though I'm a plague. I have plenty of fans that can't stand me-and while I find all of them amusing, I'd rather not add _your_ name to that list."

He took the other's hand, voice soft with concern, sadness, memories. 

"I don't want to hurt you. Just let me be by your side tonight. I won't say a thing-you have my word and honor as a pirate of the skies."

Ignis' chuckle violently infused Balthier's veins with relief. It was a frail sound, but it was there, nonetheless. "Not the word and honor of a judge?"

The Bunansa chuckled in return, mostly out of the piercing relief flowing through him. "No, I'm afraid. I find it a little more glamorous to speak of myself as a pirate. Just as you speak of yourself as a chef. Nothing wrong with being drawn to a path that provides more than rules and regulations, don't you agree?"

"Yes, well, I find more freedom in the culinary arts." It was at that moment Ignis bowed his head, hand still locked inside Balthier's, his other hand gripping his cane. "I _did,_ anyway. However, there's no sense in clinging to the past."

Balthier's voice lost all traces of humor, every bit of it replaced by a much more grave but still infinitely tender nature. "There is if its a part of what makes you come to life."

He kissed the other's hand. "Enough. I promised I wouldn't prod at certain wounds, and a true Sky Pirate keeps his promises. So. Bedtime?"

Silence unfolded between the two of them, carrying them back into the room Ignis inhabited inside Bhujerba's inn. Balthier gave minimal attention to his friend as he settled back into his bed, not wanting the other to feel overwhelming with supervision-certainly not after the progress that had been made. The pirate settled one of the room's chairs near the other's bed and set his focus on surrendering to sleep, but-

Ignis continued to surprise him.

"Are you worried about me?"

Balthier chuckled once again, the sound both nervous and warm. "Promise not to have me thrown out if I say anything?"

The Scientia's voice was sad, unbearably sad and unbearably difficult to listen to. "I'll do no such thing."

"Fascinating. Change of heart, I see. All right then. Yes. Yes, I'm worried about you. I've always been worried about you. And not because I was ordered by my father to worry about you. Oh, by the way, a thousand apologies for what happened earlier. You know, the little exchange between our Prompto and my darling old man. I love Prompto beyond words-but it seems as though I've done a poor job of showing it."

The runaway Magister gave him a look of electric confusion. "An odd conclusion to come to."

"Ah-not really. Not when that old bastard's my responsibility. I _am_ his son, after all, no matter how hard I try to ignore that bit of truth."

"Prompto would disagree with you."

"Of course he would," Balthier challenged, sadness and anger working as one potent force. "I could rip his camera apart and he'd forgive me. With a smile. But instead of me continuing to go down that road-the road that will only result in me turning my gun on myself-I'll go back to your inquiry. Yes, I'm worried about you. Even more so than normal. And _no,_ it's not because I fear you've outgrown your usefulness. Even without your eyes, your wisdom and grace are far more valuable than those of any sovereign's. So consider me the last person to write you off as useless. I'm worried about you because you won't let me in."

Silence returned to their corner of the world, Ignis keeping his head bowed as it unfolded. Balthier watched him with gentle eyes, but just as he was set on closing his-

"Your hand. Would you mind giving it to me again?"

The runaway Magister's hand was soon enveloped in the warm, soft hand of a lifelong friend. But that wasn't enough, it seemed. "Would you mind coming a little closer?" Ignis asked. He soon found himself nestled against a body of overwhelming warmth, one that offered a world of loving comfort. Their hands still locked within each other's all the while.

Balthier's former charge sighed. "I'm awfully sorry about this."

"Why?"

Neither of them uttered a word for the remainder of the evening, eventually falling asleep-side by side, hand in hand.


	2. Reaching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The stars above Bhujerba are incredible little things, aren't they? Many claim they're a bridge to the heavens. Gateways to worlds beyond your wildest dreams. I was never one for fairy tales, but then I met _you."_ Balthier catches Ignis after a heartbreaking incident and tries to comfort him again, but the best laid plans don't always work out well.

Balthier Bunansa's relationship with doors wasn't a great one. Approaching the barrier that constantly separated him from Ignis was never an easy job-and considering the dangers he tangled with on a daily basis, that was an odd bit of truth. Wrestling with death was never a challenge he turned down, but facing a door, knowing Ignis was on the other side of it? A task he willingly took on, but not without the weaknesses he had sworn off a lifetime ago. A bond that had been forged in Archadia's library, Doctor Cid's study and Downtown Rabanastre's markets was something he'd fight to the death to protect, but getting used to the possibility of Ignis slamming a door in his face?

He sighed, frustration rolling out of his lips in a soft cloud. Fran wasn't a witness to the monumental struggle between the legendary Sky Pirate and the door, having been asked by her twin spirit to look after their friends. She could've been in the Giza Plains that night and would've sensed his internal struggle-but she didn't have a front-row seat to it. The teasing, even though it came in small wisps, was more than enough. She heard the voices of conflict loud and clear, knowing how they stormed through him like a maelstrom-and sometimes saw fit to poke him over them. When the voices of conflict were at their loudest, though, she gave him the room he needed to breathe. To think. Just in time, too. The night in Bhujerba wasn't at all interested in bringing any of them peace.

It had been two nights since Prompto's return. Two nights since their descent into the chasm known as Hell. Fran's other half had succeeded in draping healing balm over some of Ignis' wounds, but the day granted no favors for any of them. The little, virtuous photograpger they had all grown to love with a passion remained asleep, hidden from the world and all that he loved. Ignis' spirits were lifted by his lifelong friend's kindness last night, but the day's unfolding hours erased the good Balthier had done. A patron of the Khus Skygrounds drove the pain even deeper. The brash customer made a reference to Ignis' blindness after bumping into him, eyes burning with inhumane contempt. The exchange was swift, but followed up with a perfect response:

_"Watch where you're going, you witless bag of bones, or I'll boil you alive!"_

_"You might want to refrain from such idiocy,"_ Balthier suggested, just as calm as ever-with the barrel of his gun pointed at the side of the bangaa's head. With his friends and other patrons looking upon him in awe (with the exception of Fran, whose eyes were on fire with amusement), the Sky Pirate kept the barrel firm. _"You ARE in a Judge Magister's presence,"_ the pirate of the skies informed him, his own eyes on fire with valor. _"Better behave, my good man, unless you fancy losing your head. I'd rather not make a mess in the good shopkeeper's store, so please mind your manners."_

However, the fruits of Balthier's triumph did not last long. His former charge retreated in the wake of such cruelty, returning to the shell he had fashioned for himself against the cold of the unknown. He claimed to withdraw from his room with a yearning to enjoy the evening air, but the incident inside the city's shop was a fresh wound. In addition to his little brother still being trapped in a chasm of slumber. With the world caving in on his shoulders, and with constant reminders of how losing his sight was a grave hindrance, the Scientia found comfort in hiding. However, none of them were willing to let him be. They entrusted Balthier with their friend's well-being, knowing the bond that had been forged over an eon would hold out against the maelstrom of the unknown. Unfortunately-

Balthier found himself helpless against a door, yet again.

Deep breaths. Ignis claimed to be unscathed from the item shop's incident, and from all other nightmares that had taken place, but Cid's son was well aware of the truth. Focused on comforting his lifelong friend once again, Balthier turned the doorknob. Strange, how such a small task felt like such a tremendous venture. The door was slowly opened by a force that felt nothing like his own hand, revealing a world of stars little by little. A world of constellations, portraits of star-kissed wonders that graced the pages of ancient tales. Balthier soon found the one he sought standing underneath those stars, just as small and delicate as the wonders that sang above. With his head raised to the stars, as though the answers to many prayers were within that golden realm, Ignis once again looked very much like an Esper. Something strange and mythical, not at all familiar to the realm of humes.

Deep breaths. Balthier approached his friend the way anyone would approach a holy creature-with great care and calm. He scrambled for an opening topic, not wanting to alarm Ignis by prodding any wounds, then-

"The stars above Bhujerba are incredible little things, aren't they? Many claim they're a bridge to the heavens. Gateways to worlds beyond your wildest dreams. I was never one for fairy tales, but then I met _you."_

Ignis' voice was quiet but alive with enough frost to destroy the Ozmone Plain. Prompto's mentor took note of that: Ignis was rather serene around all others, but frequently acted as though a certain Sky Pirate was nothing but a curse. "What do _I_ have to do with fairy tales?" he asked without turning to his friend. Balthier continued to walk towards his former charge carefully, encouraged by how Ignis hadn't ordered him to leave-but also encouraged by the other's ferocious demeanor. "Plenty," was the deceptively calm answer. 

"You probably know every constellation by heart, just as well as you know your recipes. Fancy that-a master of the culinary arts being familiar with the divine. Ah, well, shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Of course you're familiar with the comforts of home."

Ignis said nothing in response, most likely trying to determine the quickest way to end their conversation. 'It burns, the energy coming from within', Fran informed him on one occasion, referring to the aura that enveloped Ignis while he and Balthier were close. It was another occasion in which the Scientia saw Balthier's presence as nothing but a curse, an ailment that needed immediate treatment. She would've said something similar that night, as even the Sky Pirate could feel the wrath radiating off of him. It was best to think of a good direction for their conversation quickly, or else the bond between them would be cut in a heartbeat.

Balthier's voice softened under the light, warm brush of sadness. He knew the conversation couldn't tread upon the incident inside the item shop-it couldn't tread anywhere near the state of his eyes. One option remained to him, though, and it was an option he was determined to take-no matter how risky it appeared to be. "I've been troubled by something," Ignis' former mentor confessed, head bowed. "By a decision I made, long ago. I made the choice to flee from home, wanting to leave behind the pressures of a luxurious life-but I took you with me. I cut you out of a world that could've protected you. Could've kept you safe and given you wonders beyond your wildest dreams. And I can't help but wonder-do you hate me for it?"

The runaway Magister's voice was icy enough to demand respect from the heavens. "Do I hate you?" the Scientia laughed, the sound not even remotely close to being pleasant. "Do I hate you for bringing me out of a world that would've suffocated me? A world that very well may have killed me? Do you _not_ see the chaos swirling around the world we were born into? My, your ignorance never ceases to amaze me."

Balthier stepped back, grimacing as though Ignis had plunged his blade into him. His voice was pricked with the colors of frustration, hurt and confusion. "A simple 'yes' or 'no' would've sufficed."

"What, I'm supposed to allay your fears when you've obviously been holding that lunacy in for, what, months on end? Am I truly that weak? Weak enough to earn your pity?"

Astounding, how even the smallest sentence could spiral into a nightmare when shared with Ignis. At least it could when spoken by Balthier. The cold, cruel hours distorted Ignis' face yet again, recreating memories that never should have happened. Painting those memories on a face burdened with far too many wounds. "I'll be taking my leave, if you don't mind," the runaway Magister snarled, hand tightening his grip on his cane. He took only a few steps before Balthier stopped him, his voice holding onto calm's fragile remnants.

"Perhaps I should ask you again. Do you hate me?"

Ignis would've instilled fear into the great, tyrannical gladiator known as Consulman Vayne. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm no longer in the mood for conversation. Good night."

The Scientia tore away from Balthier, disappearing into the star-kissed night. Returning to his home within Bhujerba's Inn. Fran, Noctis and Prompto's partner could do nothing but watch as Ignis vanished, open, bleeding memories plaguing both men all the while. The Sky Pirate sighed as the stars melted into each other, heart growing heavier with each second.

"Ah. Looks as though Prompto's not the only one I've failed, dear Fran."


End file.
